Tibetan protesters missing after Chinese arrests: rights group

June 22, 2008

Deirdre Jurand at 9:00 AM ET
Jurist
University of Pittsburgh School of Law
June 19, 2008

The status of more than 1,000 protesters detained by Chinese
authorities during March demonstrations [BBC backgrounder] in Tibet
remains unknown, according to an Amnesty International report [press
release] released Wednesday. About 370 of the protesters who
surrendered to authorities and about 980 arrested in April after the
protests have still not been released or charged [Amnesty press
release]. Amnesty officials also criticized China for severely
censoring media reports on Tibet, blocking international journalists
and independent human rights observers from entering the region, and
physically abusing detained activists. An Amnesty official said that
under Chinese law [text, Administrative Punishment Law of the
People's Republic of China], detainees can be held without charge for
four years [ITV report]. The Amnesty report called on China to free
all detainees who engaged in peaceful protest. AFP has more. Reuters
has additional coverage.

Rights groups have criticized China for ongoing human rights
violations [HRW materials] targeted at Tibetans, and many call for
the total independence [advocacy website] of the currently
"semi-autonomous" region. In March, police in China detained 953
people [JURIST report], of whom 403 have been formally arrested, in
connection with protests against Chinese rule in Tibet. In April, a
Chinese court sentenced 30 people to prison for their roles in the
protests. Chinese officials have blamed the exiled Dalai Lama
[personal website] for organizing the protests.